Tub-type dishwashing machine



Feb. 7, 1961 A. A. KLEEBAUER 2,970,819

TUB-TYPE DISHWASHING MACHINE Filed Jan. 18, 1957 Y 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 e 39 53 52 40 a 43 E l Gal;

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INVENTOR.

ALFRED A-KLEEBAUER ATTORNEYS Feb. 7, 1961 A. A. KLEEBAUER TUB-TYPE DISHWASHING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 18, 1957 3 llllllllll ALFRED A-KLEEBAUER AT TORNEYS nite Alfred A. Kleebauer, 174 Flood Ave., San Francisco, Calif.

Filed Jan. 18, 1957, Ser. No. 635,028

1 Claim. (Cl. 259-95) The present invention relates to improvements in a tub-type dishwashing machine. It consists of the combinations, constructions, and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a tub-type dishwashing machine, which is adapted to withdraw wash water from a lower portion of the tub, and thereafter return this water to an upper portion of the tub, all in a highly eflicient manner, creating a rapid flow of water through the tub in a wide and steady stream, and with suificient force to effectively clean dishes contained in the tub.

Moreover specifically stated, it is proposed to provide a combined pump and water-circulating housing that is disposed Within the tub, this housing defining a com-v partment on the interior thereof in which a driven pump impeller is mounted. The housing is provided with a water-inlet opening through which water in the tub will be drawn by the impeller, with the latter forcing the water upwardly through the compartment for discharge through a water-outlet opening in the upper portion of the housing for return to the tub.

In order to promote the efliciency of the pump impeller and to preclude return flow of the wash water through the inlet opening, the blades of the impeller are made larger in diameter than the water-inlet opening. Moreover, a circular flange is mounted in the compartment in surrounding relation with the impeller. For the purpose of regulating the inflow of water to the compartment, an adjustable valve plate is provided, which may be readily adjusted to change the efiective size of the water-inlet opening.

As a still further object of the invention, it is proposed to shape the water-outlet opening of the housing in such a manner as to return the wash water from the compartment to the tub in a highly eflicient stream, thus contributing to the eifective washing of the dishes.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification continues. The novel features will be set forth in the claim hereunto appended.

Drawings For a better understanding of my invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of an end portion of a tub, and disclosing my improved dishwasher installed therein;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of that portion of the motor and impeller shafts and a water-proof seal designated by the bracket II in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an oblique view of a removable cover plate, which forms part of the combined pump and water-circulating housing;

Figures 4 and S are transverse sectional views taken along the vertical planes IV-IV and V-V, respectively, of Figure 1.

While I have shown only the preferred form of my 2,973,319 Patented Feb. 7, 1961 Detailed description In carrying my invention into practice, there is provided a tub indicated generally at A, which is adapted to hold wash water B. A combined pump and watercirculating housing C is disposed within the tub, and defines a compartment D on the interior thereof. The lower portion of this housing is fashioned with a waterinlet opening E through which water in the tub may flow into the compartment. It will be noted that a pump impeller F is mounted in the compartment D in back of the water-inlet opening E. The impeller is rotated by a motor G in a direction to draw water from the tub A into the compartment D, as suggested by the arrow 10 in Figure 1. This incoming water is forced upwardly in the compartment for discharge through a water-outlet opening H for flow into the tub. As shown in Figures 1, 3 and 5, a screen 12 is provided over the water-inlet opening.

Referring to the details of the housing C, it will be seen that an end wall 13 of the tub A is utilized as the rear wall for the housing. A keystone-shaped band I is welded at 14 to the wall 13 so as to project forwardly therefrom (see Figure I). As shown in Figure 4, this band defines a horizontal bottom flange 15, and further provides a pair of upwardly-diverging side flanges 16, which are joined to the bottom flange. The upper portions of these side flanges are interconnected by a top flange 17, the latter having a downwardly-projecting lip 18 at its forward end.

It will be seen that the housing C includes a removable cover plate K having a horizontal flange 19 at its top that projects rearwardly into the compartment D (see Figure 1). The flange 19 is arranged below the lip 18 and cooperates therewith in defining the water-outlet opening H previously mentioned. This cover plate is placed over the flanges 15 and 16, with a suitable gasket 20 being interposed therebetween.

For the purpose of removably holding the cover plate K in place, an anchor bar 21 has been fixed to the side flanges 16 so as to extend therebetween. A pair of clamping bolts 22 are fixed to this anchor bar by nuts 23, with these bolts passing through openings 24 formed in the cover plate (see Figure 3). Wing nuts 24 are threaded on the forward ends of the bolts 22 in front of the cover plate. Obviously these wing nuts may be turned so as to bring the cover plate against the gasket 20 and thus provide a water-tight seal between the cover plate K- and the band I.

' Turning now to Figures 1 and 4, it will be noted that the pump impeller F defines a plurality of blades 25, which are larger in diameter than the water-inlet E. Also, a circular flange 26 is mounted in the compartment D to extend circumferentially around the impeller, this flange being carried by the cover plate K to form a unit therewith. The flange 26 provides a passageway 27 through which water may pass from the tub A to the compartment D. The purpose of making the blades larger than the opening E and providing the circular flange 26 is to prevent water from being thrown from the compartment D out through the opening E, when the impeller is rotated at a high speed. When the plate K is removed, access will be given to the pump impeller F.

In order to regulate the flow of Water through the inlet opening E, a valve plate 29 has been provided, and it is swingably-secured to the plate K by a journal pin or screw 30. As shown in Figure 5, the valve plate 29 has been swung so as to partially close off the inlet opening E. A suitable stop 31 has been arranged on the plate K 3 to prevent the valve plate 29 from closing off the opening E entirely.

During normal operation of dishwashing machine, the temperature of the wash water B is about 160 Fahrenheit. Therefore, it is desirable that the valve plate 29 be actuated from a position above the level of the water in the tub A. For this reason a rod 32 has been anchored to the plate 29 by a pivot screw 33, with this rod extending upwardly.

It will be appreciated, of course, that any suitable means may be provided for holding the rod 32 in adjusted position. Inasmuch as a channel-shaped member 34 is provided at the top of the tub for the reason hereinafter stated, a rotatable sleeve 35 has been provided on this member. As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the sleeve 35 has a bore 36 therein through which the upper section of the rod 32 is telescoped. In order to lock the rod in adjusted position a set-screw 37 has been threaded into the sleeve 35 so as to bear against the rod.

As clearly disclosed in Figure l, the motor G is mounted exteriorly of the tub A on a base 38, the latter being secured to the end wall 13 of the tub by a series of bolts 39. This base is formed with an opening 40 through which the armature shaft 41 of the motor extends. Moreover, the end wall 13 has an opening 42 that is arranged in axial alignment with the opening 40. However, the opening 42 is somewhat larger than the opening 40 and thus a portion of the base will be exposed on the tubside of the base.

In its structural details, the impeller F has a shaft 43 to which the blades 25 are secured. This shaft is fashioned with a tubular rear portion 44 that telescopes over the forward part of the armature shaft 41 (see F.gure 2). The shaft 43 has a shank 45 on its interior that is threaded into a bore 46 formed in the forward end of the armature shaft. This arrangement will permit the impeller shaft 43 to be adjusted endwise relative to the armature shaft 41 for the purpose hereinafter mentioned. A collar 47 is adjustably secured to the armature shaft by a setscrew 48 so as to limit the telescoping of the impeller shaft over the armature shaft.

In order to prevent leakage of the wash water B through the opening 40, a leak-proof seal L has been provided over the impeller shaft 43, immediately in front of the base 38 (see Figure 2). This seal includes a resilient spool-like gasket 49, which surrounds the impeller shaft with a snug fit. Of course, it is desirable that this gasket be prevented from wearing; accordingly, it is made to turn with the impeller shaft 43. A hard-surfaced fiber washer 50 is interposed between the gasket 49 and the part of the base 38 that is exposed on the tub-side of the latter, that is, within the opening 42. This fiber washer bears against the base and is rotatable thereon.

For the purpose of rotating the washer 50, a disc 51 has been welded to the impeller shaft 43, the gasket 49 being interposed between this disc and the fiber washer 59. A pin 52 is fixed to the disc 51 so as to project therefrom into engagement with a lug 53, the latter being formed as part of the fiber washer and projecting radially therefrom. Thus, when the impeller shaft 43 is rotated, the disc 51 and the pin 52 will cause the fiber washer 50 to turn therewith.

In Figure 2, the spool-like gasket 49 has been shown as having flanges 54 and 55 at its opposite ends, which are yieldingly urged against the fiber washer 50 and the disc 51, respectively, by a compression spring 56. This spring encircles the body of the gasket and is arranged between the flanges 54 and 55 so as to urge the latter apart. It will be apparent that the impeller shaft 43 may be adjustedendwise relative to the armature shaft 41 so as to compress the gasket 49. All wear of the leak-proof seal L takes place on the fiber washer rather than on the gasket.

It is a conventional practice to provide the tub A with the channel-shaped member 34, which is located adjacent to a drainboard 57 (see Figure 1), so as to catch food particles or water that may tend to flow from the drainboard into the tub. Also, as suggested in Figure 4, an overflow pipe 53 extends upwardly into the tub through bottom 59 of the latter. A stub pipe 60 is provided on the member 34 so as to permit water to drain from this member into the overflow pipe.

Summary of operation Assuming that the tub A has been filled to the desired level with hot 'wash water b, with the proper amount of I soap or detergent being added, the motor G should be started. This will drive the pump impeller P, which will cause water to be drawn through the inlet opening E into the lower part of the combined pump and watercirculating housing C, as suggested by the arrow 10 in Figure 1. Of course, a heater may be provided for main taining the water at the desired temperature.

This incoming water will be forced upwardly through the compartment D; and, upon striking the horizontal flange 17, the water will be deflected toward the flange 19 by the lip 18, the water then cascading through the outlet opening H in a wide stream and back into the tub, as indicated by the arrow 11. The water is circulated with considerable rapidity.

It is a conventional practice, when using machines of this type, to place the dishes in an open-mesh basket (not shown), and then immerse them in the wash water B contained in the tub.

The plate valve 29 may be adjusted from time to time so as to regulate the amount of water passing through the housing C. In the event that a leak should develop at the opening 40, the front cover plate K may be readily removed, thereby exposing the pump impeller F. By holding the armature shaft 41 stationary and turning the impeller in the proper direction, the gasket 49 of the leak-proof seal L may be compressed so as to stop all leakage. When collar 47 is clamped upon the armature shaft 41, after being forced against the impeller shaft, these two shafts will be retained against turning relative to one another, since this collar serves as a. lock nut.

I claim:

In a tub-type dishwashing machine, the combination which comprises:

(a) a tub adapted to hold washwater and having a plurality of walls,

(1;) a water-circulating housing disposed within said tub adapted to facilitate the upward circulation of water from the bottom portion of the tub to the upper portion of the tub and above the water level which is maintained for washing the dishes contained in a basket placed in the tub,

(c) said water-circulating housing comprising a lower wall flange, upwardly diverging side wall flanges and a top flange which extends inwardly toward the tub interior from one wall of the tub,

(d) the top flange of said water-circulating housing being disposed in a horizontal plane, inwardly of said tub walls,

(e) said top flange having a depending lip along its inner edge that extends downwardly in a substantially vertical plane,

(f) a vertically disposed cover plate removably mounted in a substantially vertical plane over said lower wall flange and over said upwardly diverging side wall flanges to thus form a channelled passageway for the flow of water from the bottom of the tub to the top of the tub,

(g) said vertically disposed cover plate being located in substantially the same vertical plane as the plane of said depending lip,

(It) the top edge of said cover plate being spaced below the lower edge of said downwardly depending lip so as to provide an elongated upper water outlet for said water-circulating housing,

(i) the top or" said cover plate also having a flange portion which extends in a substantially horizontal plane from the inner part of the tub toward the outer part of the tub,

(i) said flange portion of said cover plate being disposed in a plane which is essentially parallel to the top flange portion of said water circulating housing,

(k) the said water outlet being disposed well above the water line of the tub and extending from side to side of the water-circulating housing,

(I) said cover plate having a Water inlet opening disposed near its bottom, means for removably securing the cover plate to the water-circulating housing wall flanges, an impeller rotatably mounted within the lower portion of said water circulating housing and adjacent to the said inlet opening and adapted to draw tub water into the inlet opening, a circular flange enclosing the impeller, one circular edge of said circular flange being carried by the cover plate and having its other circular edge spaced from the said tub wall,

(m) the said circular flange causing the water drawn into the water-circulating housing by the impeller to flow upwardly along the tub wall and to pass the inner edge of the inwardly extending flange of the cover plate and thereafter be forced against the surface of the tub wall with suflicient force to cause the water to rebound therefrom and then strike the undersurface of top flange of the cover flange and then the inner surface of the depending lip,

(n) whereby the water Will be given a violent and turbulent rotating motion and will issue from the outlet in a downward direction to forcefully penetrate and agitate the tub water for thoroughly washing the dishes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,480,141 Artese Jan. 8, 1924 1,878,685 Elkington Sept. 20, 1932 2,287,591 Adams June 23, 1942 2,360,145 Lansing Oct. 10, 1944 2,517,730 Sprigg Aug. 8, 1950 2,552,689 Peeps et a]. May 15, 1951 2,651,311 Rule Sept. 8, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 23,285 Great Britain Oct. 20, 1906 

